1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of frying potato slices to produce potato chips.
2. Description of the Background Art
Commercial production of potato chips typically involves a continuous process wherein sliced potatoes are continuously introduced into a vat of frying oil at a temperature of about 185.degree. C. (about 365.degree. F.) or higher, conveyed through the oil by paddles or other means, and removed from the oil after about 21/2 to 3 minutes of frying by an endless conveyor belt when the moisture content of the chips has been reduced to about 2% by weight or less. The resulting product generally has texture and flavor characteristics which are usually recognizable by consumers as typical commercially produced continuous process potato chips.
Potato chips produced by batch processes in kettle friers have texture and flavor characteristics which are usually recognized by consumers as being distinctly different from typical commercially produced continuous process potato chips. As the name implies, batch process kettle frying of potato chips involves placing a batch of potato slices in a kettle of hot oil, e.g., at a temperature of about 150.degree. C. (about 300.degree. F.). Upon introduction of the potato slices into the oil, the temperature of the oil typically drops, sometimes by as much as about 30.degree. C. (about 50.degree. F.) or more, and then the temperature of the oil begins to gradually rise as the slices are fried to their bubble end point (BEP), generally, about 2% moisture content or less. The finished potato chips are removed as a batch from the kettle before frying another batch of potato slices. Typical batch frying can take ten minutes or longer to reach the bubble end point. The frying time varies depending on factors such as the loading ratio of chips to oil and the solids content of the potatoes being fried.
Batch fried chips are generally harder and more crunchy than continuously fried chips and have a flavor that some consumers find more appealing than typical continuously fried commercial chips. However, batch production of potato chips is not commercially desirable since batch processes are generally substantially more expensive and less efficient than continuous processes.
There thus remains a need in the art for an efficient continuous process for the production of potato chips having batch-fried texture and flavor characteristics.